Kelby Collins 'Excited' by Clemson Offer, Loves Stability Among Coaching Staff

Four-star defensive lineman Kelby Collins recaps his recent Clemson offer, his visit to campus and what he's looking for in a school.

Once the calendar turned to June it didn't take Clemson long to start handing out offers to 2023 prospects as the coaching staff handed out more than a dozen on June 1.

Kelby Collins was the recipient of one of those offers and the 4-star defensive linemen told All Clemson that while he was pretty sure he would get an offer, the timing of it caught him a little by surprise seeing as he was set to attend one of Dabo Swinney's high school camps the first week in June.

"I knew it was coming because (coach Todd Bates) told me that June 1 was probably the first time they could offer me," Collins said. "I thought it wouldn't come until I got up there but when I got it I was really excited."

Arriving in town with an offer already in tow really allowed Collins to focus on what the Clemson program has to offer, especially P.A.W. Journey, something that has evolved into an integral part of the program.

"I really liked everybody on the coaching staff," Collins said. "Everything was like family-oriented and it felt good. I liked the facilities and stuff but what really stuck out to me was PAW Journey, that was probably my favorite part, other than visiting the stadium."

Another thing that really stood out to the 6-foot-5, 250-pound defensive linemen out of Gardendale High in Gardendale, Alabama is how head coach Dabo Swinney not has held together his coaching staff for so long, but how he likes to bring back his former players as assistants.

"Everybody there's like family," Collins said. What really, really sticks out though, everybody's basically been there. They have a lot of players on staff that used to play there, and a lot of coaches have been there for five-plus years, and Dabo's been there for ten-plus years. That really stood out to me that everybody has been there for a while and they have a lot of returning players on staff."

Collins isn't ready to name a list of favorites at this time but said there are five schools that are recruiting him the hardest.

"Clemson, Bama, Georgia, Florida, Texas A&M and USC," Collins said.

The highly-touted Collins said he would like to have a decision made sometime before his senior season in high school but right now he does know what kind of characteristics he's looking for in a school.

"Family-based, just how the other players like the place," Collins said. "Just family bonds and stuff like that. How my family feels about it. Just family vibes and stuff like that."